"Silvan" wrote in message
Checked again, no washing soda anywhere, so I decided to try
Oxy-Clean before spending any money.

Quite some time ago I found (rare now) a website that had an old (but well
known) article entitled "Cleaning Rusty Tools - Electrolysis Made Easy".

I've used the same process to cleanup vises, pliers and even a old "pitcher
pump" for my wife.
The old 'recipe' called for either "washing soda" or "baking soda" (you
know - Arm&Hammer?) at about one tablespoon per gallon of water.
What this stuff does is only provide a medium for the electrical current. If
I were you, I'd stray away from Lye. Yea, it'll provide a path for the
current alright. So would salt water, battery acid, muratic acid, (oh, lets
not forget radioactive plasma)! What you're trying to do is remove
corrosion, not make more! Like the author of the article repeats over and
over, "This Aint Rocket Science".
Any POS battery charger or power supply that will deliver 2 amps or more at
6-24 volts will do. Your 1 amp trickle charger will just take longer (but
you knew that).

Hope this helps,
Jon Veeneman